Improved electro-magnetic fire-alarm apparatus



M. G. FARMER.

Electric Clock.

Patented Nov. 16, 18 58.

N, PETERS. Pbolo-Llkbogranhw. W-uhinxicn. D.C-

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcai M. G. FARMER, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WV. F. OHANNING.

IMPROVED ELECTRO-MAGNETIC FIRE-ALARM APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,071, dated November 16, 1858.

To all whom it may conccra:

Be it known that I, Mosns G. FARMER, of

' Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Repeating-Dial for Electric Striking Apparatus for Clocks and other Purposes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference bein ghad to the aecompanyin g drawin gs, making part of this specification, in which is represented a perspective view of my apparatus as applied to an electric clock.

My invention has for its object to strike a definite number of blows upon one or more bells within one or more given electric circuits and to repeat the same any desired number of times. It may be applied to the striking part ofa clock, so as to cause it to repeat the hour in the different rooms of a building, or to the key-board of a telegraphic fire-alarm, whereby the fire-bells within a given circuit may be simultaneously struck any desired number of times.

My invention consists in the employment of the snail and dial of the well-known clockstriking movement with a lifting-piece or key, in combination with an electric circuit and a means of making and breaking the circuit, which will now be more fully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawings my invention is seen in connection with the pendulum and operating parts of an electromagnetic clock, the same in principle as the clock for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 21st day of September, 1852.

The apparatus represented in the drawings divides itself conveniently into the time part and the striking part, with their mutual connections.

The cupsA and B are in communication with the opposite poles of a galvanic battery. The cup B is connected by an insulated wire, E, with the time electro-magnet D, and also by the insulated wire M with the striking electromagnet H.

It willbe seen hereinafter that the operation of the apparatus as represented is at certain times to complete the electric circuit of the battery alternately for the time electro'magnet D and the striking electro-magnet H. I am thus enabled to use a battery of less power than would be necessary if the circuit were employed at the same time to actuate both the timemagnet D and the striking-magnet H.

Tracing first the connection of the battery with the time part of the apparatus, the current from the cup B passes by the insulated wireE to the time electro-magnetD, and thence to the pivot 0' of the armature-lever m and the current from the cup A by the insulated wire (3 to an insulated arm, a, which is pivoted at 0 to the ivory block (I, and is held down by a spring, 0, or otherwise, upon an arm, I), projecting from the lever m carrying the armature F. When the parts are in the position represented in the drawings the circuit of the battery through the time-magnet D is closed. As the pendulum Gr swings in the directions of its arrow an arm, f, projecting from its rod raises the pivoted arm a from contact with the arm b, by which means the circuit is broken, and the current is diverted for the instant, unless otherwise interrupted, as will be hereinafter explained, through the striking electromagnet H taking the following course: From the arm a it passes by the arm f to the pendulum-rod, the cock of which is insulated; thence it passes by the wire I to the insulated arm or circuit-lever c, which is pivoted to the ivory block it and rests upon a pin or anvil, '2', projecting from the same block when not otherwise raised therefrom, as will be presently explained. From the pin 41 the current passes by the wire K to the insulated arm or circuitlever l, pivoted to the ivory block on and resting upon a pin or anvil, or, upon the same block. From the pin a the current passes by the wire L to the electro-magnet H, thence by the wire M to the screw-cup B. Thus, whenever the pen dulum swings in the direction of its arrow, the current is thrown through the striking-magnet, unless otherwise interrupted, as will be hereinafter explained, and a blow will be struck by the hammer N upon the bell O, the 11ammer being attached to an arm projectin g from the armature Q, the latter being pivoted at 8.

To regulate the number of blows struck the following movement is adopted: The hand It is fast upon a shaft which carries a ratchet wheel, q. This wheel is actuated by apawl, 2, upon the armature F. to is a detent for the same wheel. This wheel is connected by intermediate gears, 50 and y, with a wheel, :2, to which is attached the snail P and hand T,

The number of blows struck is regulated by the snail P through the following parts and connections: The lever X, pivoted at a carries at its lower extremity a pin, N, which rests upon one or other of the steps of the snail, and carries at its other end a rack, W. This rack may be thrown into the position shown in the drawings, in the customary manner, by a gathering-pallet upon a revolving shaft, or by a driving-pawl, f upon the armature of the magnet H, by which means, as the armature Q vibrates once for every blow struck upon the bell, the rack is moved one tooth in the direction of its arrow each time a blow is struck until a pin, 0 strikes against a finger, 00 projecting from the arm 6, by which means this arm is raised from off the pin 1', when the electric circuit is broken and the striking ceases.

A is the lifting-piece or repeating-key, pivoted at g, and having an arm, 0 attached to it, so that as the key is raised the pawl f and the detent d are raised and the rack is thrown by the spring a in the direction contrary to its arrow until the pin b falls upon one of the steps of the snail. The arm e then falls upon the pin t and the circuit is closed at this point; but it has been also previously interrupted in another place by the arm B attached to the lifting-piece A which raises the circuit-lever Zfrom off its pin or anvil n and breaks the circuit at this point, and thus it remains broken until the lifting-piece is again depressed, when the circuit is closed by the dropping of the arm 1 and the bell is struck a number of times, indicated upon the dial by the handT and corresponding to the particular step of the snail upon which the pin Z) rests, when the circuitlever e is again raised by the pin 0 and the circuit is broken and the striking ceases. This occurs as often as the key A is raised and allowed to fall. When employed for the striking movement of a clock, the lifting-piece A is raised by a pin, 5 upon the wheel as, which is arranged to revolve into the right position at the completion of each hour, and owing to the breaking the circuit, as before described, by the action of the circuit-levers 0 and Z, the bell is not struck until the lifting-piece falls from off the pin 2.

' When the mechanism is employed as a repeating movement the key or lifting-piece A. is raised by hand and let fall.

When it is required to strike a certain number of blows and to repeat the signal or alarm an indefinite number of times, the wheel a; may be dispensed with altogether and the hand T be set to the figure upon the dial-plate indicating the number of blows to be struck for each signal, when the hand It will register upon the dial H the whole number of blows struck upon all the bells.

Where a number of bells within an electric circuit are to be struck a striking-magnet to be included in the same battery-circuit as the magnet H will be required at each bell; and,

the circuit is effected by means of the swinging of the pendulum. Any oth er efficient way of accomplishing this-as the device known as a circuit-wheel, actuated by a weight or spring and regulated by a fan-may be employed without alteringthe principle of my invention; and,

instead of moving the rack W by the direct action of the armature of the magnet H, it may be effected in the well-known way by a gathering-pallet actuated by a weight or spring. This, in general, will be the method adopted when the bells to be struck are distant from the governing mechanism.

By transposing the connections of the wires E and I with the pin 0 and the cock of the pendulum, the pendulum may be made to complete the battery-circuit for the time electro-ma-gnet D when the armftouches the arm a, and to complete the circuit of the striking electromagnet H when the arm a is let fall upon the arm I); but the principle is the same as in the arrangement represented.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The dial, the snail, and the key or lifting piece A in combination with an electric circuit and with the means of making and breaking the circuit for the purpose of striking a definite number of blows upon one or more bells, and of repeating the-same and registering or indicating the number of the blows so struck, as described.

2. The arrangement of the circuit-lever l, the lifting-piece A and pin 4?, so that the circuit shall be closed on the dropping of the lifting-piece from off the pin, as set forth.

3. The arrangement of the circuit-lever e, rack W, operating in the manner set forth, whereby the circuit is completed by the falling of the rack and broken when the required number of blows has been struck, as set forth.

4. The combination of the circuit-levers Z and 6, operating in the manner substantially as set forth, for the purpose described.

5. The arrangement of the arm f, the arms a and b, or their equivalents, for the purpose of effecting electric communication alternately with the time-magnet D and the striking-mag net H, essentially as described.

MOSES G. FARMER.

Witnesses:

THos. R. ROAOH, P. E. TEsoHEMAoHER. 

